Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) Region

News: According to a new report by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region has recently recorded its lowest snow persistence, at 27% below the long-term average for the winter season from November 2025 to March 2026.

About Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) Region

• The Hindu Kush is a great mountain system of Central Asia.
• It is also known as the greater Himalayan region or ‘the roof of the world.’
• Spread: It extends about 3,500 km and spreads across eight countries –
  • Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan.
• Boundaries: Its western boundary extends to Afghanistan, and its eastern boundary extends to Myanmar.
  • It runs from northeast to southwest and separates the Amu Darya valley in the north from the Indus River valley in the south.
• It has the largest area covered by glaciers and permafrost outside the Polar Regions, and is therefore often also referred to as the `Third Pole’.
• Physiography: It is a geo-morphologically unique region with the mighty Himalayas acting as the geological buffer protecting the lush green southern slopes from the dry and arid winds of the north thus supporting a unique mosaic of biota and eco-regions. 
• Rivers: It is the source of ten large Asian river systems – the Amu Darya, Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra (Yarlungtsanpo), Irrawaddy, Salween (Nu), Mekong (Lancang), Yangtse (Jinsha), Yellow River (Huanghe), and Tarim (Dayan). 
  • It is known as the “Water Tower of Asia”.
• Mountains: The Hindu Kush is divided into three parts: 
  • The eastern section (from Karambar Pass to Dorāh Pass near Mount Tirich Mir), 
  • The central section (up to Shebar Pass near Kabul), and 
  • The western section, also called the Bābā Mountains, which slopes down to the Kermū Pass (Afghanistan)
• Highest peaks: The Terich Mir is the highest mountain of the Hindu Kush range, and the highest mountain in the world outside of the Himalayas–Karakoram range. 
• Geology and climate:
  • The Hindu Kush and the Pamir mountains form the world’s most active zone for intermediate-depth earthquakes.
  • The area generally experiences rainy or snowy summers (July to September) and dry winters.
  • The central and western Hindu Kush are influenced by a Mediterranean-type climate, with hot, dry summers and cold winters.
• Importance: It is home to over 240 million people, and 1.7 billion people live in the river basins downstream, while food grown in these basins reaches three billion people.
• It is home to:
  • 4 biodiversity hotspots
  • 6 UNESCO natural World Heritage sites
  • 30 Ramsar sites
  • 330 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) and 53 Important Plant Areas (IPAs)
• Threat: The HKH region is under stress as snow in the river basins is decreasing and glaciers are shrinking quickly due to climate change.